Light-emitting diode with divided light-emitting region

Abstract

A device for generating light with the aid of a semiconducting material consisting of two electrically conducting contact layers and at least one layer, arranged therebetween, of semiconducting material which comprises a light-emitting semiconducting layer which is divided into at least two permanently parallel-connected sub-regions, delimited by semiconducting material with a higher energy gap than the light-emitting layer or delimited by ion-implanted semiconducting material, wherein the delimiting material shall prevent the propagation of dislocations between the sub-regions.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A light emitting semiconductor device, comprising: 
       at least one light-emitting semiconductor layer arranged between a first electrically conductive contact layer and a second electrically conductive contact layer to form a common light-emitting region; and  
       an ion-implanted barrier region of semiconductor material resistant to the propagation of dislocations extending through said at least one light-emitting semiconductor layer to sub-divide said common light-emitting region into a plurality of isolated sub-regions between said first electrically conductive contact layer and said second electrically conductive contact layer, said first electrically conductive contact layer and said second electrically conductive contact layer being common to said subregions, wherein said barrier region prevents the propagation of dislocations between said sub-regions of said common light-emitting region.  
     
     
       2. A light emitting semiconductor device as claimed in claim  1 , further comprising a layer of semiconductor material extending on each side of said at least one light-emitting semiconductor layer between said at least one light-emitting semiconductor layer and said respective first and second electrically conductive contact layers, said layer of semiconductor material having a higher energy gap than the light-emitting semiconductor layer. 
     
     
       3. A light emitting semiconductor device as claimed in claim  1 , wherein said ion-implanted material is proton implanted. 
     
     
       4. A light emitting semiconductor device as claimed in claim  1 , wherein said barrier region divides said common light-emitting region into a plurality of sector-shaped sub-regions.